Review by Stasia K.
The tour got off to a fantastic start. Amos Lee started at exactly 7pm and played for a 1/2 hour. The introduction was: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, direct from Philadelphia, please welcome Amos Lee." Pretty good overall - definitely better than when I saw him open the Bushkill show. Merle came on at about 7:45 and played for just under an hour, including one encore. I'm not familiar with him, but I did know the song Mama Tried. He also made a great comment about how he and Dylan should write a song called "The Ballad of Martha Stewart," and then he made up a few lines on the spot, saying Bob could write the last line :) Dylan didn't come on until about 9:10, and he played for a good hour and a half. This was my 30th time seeing him, and it's worth it every time. Three songs that I'd never heard live before (Man in me, Queen Jane, Sugar Baby), with Queen Jane as the highlight of the night - from the first words I was in awe. The one song that didn't quite work was Watching the River Flow - I wasn't expecting to hear it and something seemed off. On another note - best new arrangement thanks to the new band members was It's Alright Ma - a very heavy sound, with Tony on upright, it was a powerfully performed song... second favorite of the night I think. This song featured two violins, as did several other songs during the set. Also, Sing Me Back Home was a surprise - the curtain came down after Watchtower, and then suddenly went back up. Nice little extra bit to hear, although the big thing missing was no band intro. Oh, and one more highlight as I close - Dylan sang Man in Me front and center stage with just a harmonica and mic. - really great to see him away from the keyboard. Stasia
Review by Dennis Lind
Dylan's spring tour got off to a great jump start in Seattle and the
historic Paramount Theatre. Great place for a concert, particularly for a
Dylan concert. the opportunity to get a little up front and personal in a
smaller venue.
My wife Julie and I had made the trip from an hour or so drive away
(Mount Vernon ) and stayed the evening at the grand Roosevelt Hotel...an
easy two block or so walk to the Paramount Theatre. We got there in plenty
of time to grab a table in the small lounge and enjoy a couple beers and
watch the crowd filter in. There was a definite buzz in the air. Dylan
opened with a somewhat indistinguishable Drifter Escape. But the rhythm
and energy emitted suggested, though the first night of the tour and newly
constructed band, a treat was in store. You could tell it was an opening
night, as a few "minor" details still were being worked out...set list,
lighting, backdrops etc. Note: a beautiful back drop was created half way
through the concert, with an illuminated curtain outlining what looked
like an outer space effect....stars etc making it look like a planetarium.
Great affect! He slowed down many of his more recent songs...like
Moonlight and Sugar Baby...giving them a "nightclub act" effect. Did not
rock quite as much as some concerts...though Honest With Me and Watch
Tower really got going., My highlight was a simply beautiful Tambourine
Man...song very slow and with very little back up...putting heart felt
emotion into every word. After what appeared to be the standard
closure...first the "formation" and stare at the audience before leaving
and then returning for the what has been somewhat normal encores...Rolling
Stone and Watchtower...Dylan walked over to Recili and was nodding his
head and saying something, to him, when the current when down and lights
came up. People started to leave, when up goes the current and one more
song!....a Merle Haggard tune (so we were told)...Sing Me Back Home.
Fitting close to a great show. No band introductions during the concert
at all. New fiddler Elana Fremerman was a highlight. Caught her last
summer in Oklahoma City with Hot Club of Cowtown with Dylan and Willie
Nelson. Nice to see her now part of Dylan's band. New guitarist Denny
Freeman seemed to do quite well...has a sort of Jack Nicholson look.
page by Bill Pagel
billp61@execpc.com